Personal Opinion
This Millennium - is opposition still viable in Africa…?
Sam Mwaka-karama
African political opposition is slowly getting onto the think-tank chopping blocks: the questions are on the increase; how viable is this aspect of democracy anymore…? Couldn’t Africa be better-off under a unitary (intellect concentrated) and structurally all inclusive political system? What interests does opposition serve - by merely existing? Who is responsible for the maintenance costs of opposition political parties? Will opposition perennially depend on foreign and international finance benefactors? Who foots the enormous costs-bills incurred during opposition election primaries? Is an African opposition able to deliver an alternative (change) model of democracy? Significantly - what would such models be like in terms of ‘ideology and manifesto’?
Isn’t it becoming increasingly apparent that western models don’t work in Africa? Or might begin to practically falter… in the dynamics of the new Millennium?
In the socio-political curricular of most African studies, there seem to be a huge pothole in the promenade of academics here - where the identity of the African “Political Party”, is ill defined. Whatever paltry definitions often cited by anybody… are usually direct quotations from western scholars. Quotations from philosophies written based on non African society backgrounds.
Apart from directly identifying with the western concepts (almost rudimentarily), where are the more realistic definitions of the African ‘political party’?
Well, social sciences studies describe these (political party) entities in generalized terms… but, apart from (the activity of arguing in-precincts, to control incumbent excesses - where are the opposition parameters for delivering the alternative…?), traditional opposition parties like the DP - Democratic Party, CP - Conservative Party etcetera have never actually ruled in Uganda… though many of their members have participated individually in governments; taking-up jobs, where their parties won’t achieve outright…
These are some of the many-many questions likely to cramp popular debate-forums throughout African as we move forward deeper into this Millennium: truth is - as this millennium matures, what is likely to become more and more visible is the lacking of solid ideological and manifesto inputs note-worthy, that the (traditional) opposition could offer.
African political thought hasn’t as yet visualized the role of the opposition in terms of tangible framework ideas that could viably implement changes (traditionally oppositions often talk more of change - than development), and these are two different aspects of the national endeavor.; nationally we endeavor to create changes as often as possible - likewise - we endeavor to achieve developments as mile-stones for our advancement towards the greater common goals - goals that are constantly time-shifted further and further away, as we reach newer landmarks.
African political thinkers might yet have to align certain political party principle-terminologies to relevant features of political democracy in Africa (if at all there is such a thing): terms like “Democratic Party “ principles or “Republican Party” principles, “Liberal Party” principles, “Conservative Party” principles, “Labor Party” principles, largely manifest themselves as components of western world capitalism ideologies… more appropriately applicable comfortably in the developed cosmopolitan and metropolitant western countries.
While typically African political parties; “African National Congress” or “National Resistance Movement” or “Uganda People’s Congress” or “Forum for Democratic Change” or “Rwanda Patriotic Front” or “Chama Cha Mapenduzi”- (Party for Change - or - Party for Revolution) or “Kenya African National Union” etcetera, generally come across as popular indigenous African political parties conceptualized to mobilize mass-following and render legality status to the entities for the purpose of sorting-out African self rule…
The break-up of the ANC in South Africa recently, demonstrates that the African political party lacked intricate security and safety parameters in its principles: the individuals within the party leadership often become more powerful than the organization - thus ANC could break-up.
It is arguable therefore that given our large African ethnic communities, with our multiple dialects and languages, implementation of individual political party concepts of change may bear no meaning and viability - rather a singular unitary sense of direction concentrated in a political system under which the collective intellectual capacity of a given country is housed, might generate better, the principles for development of that country.
Recent political developments in Uganda have demonstrated that; much as the Ugandan people crave for multi-party system of governance, still the viability of its parliamentary practice (both at national and local government levels) are questionable… Bills in discussions often create ‘tug-of-war’ along party lines that threaten the national goal! Forcing government in certain instances to (quietly) dish-out certain (softening) benefits to parliamentarians, under various tags ranging from the official ‘constituency funds’ to others less official ones, which are often swiped-at in the media as ‘inducements’…
But then the ‘reforms in discussion’ tabled by the incumbent or petitioned by the opposition and other entities, are never-the-less, bills that once passed, have benefits for the whole country… why would inducements be necessary.
How then would opposition ‘conditionally-agitate’ so as to bring to bear on government pressures that spur the state to dish-out those said ‘inducements’… aren’t the very principles of opposition parties being flaunted?
Political party members have also (during the current campaign period) been reported to have crossed to government side - including the Kampala Mayor Nasser Seya Ntegge Ssebaggala, who was since reported to have crossed to the ruling party. A man who was at one time billed with being a possible DP presidential candidate - had there not been better options perhaps.
Similarly there have been reports in the media - alluding to the notion - that come 2011 the year of Uganda’s next general elections, UPC Presidential candidate Olara Otunnu might opt for a political deal with President Yoweri Museveni - and a vice presidential appointment is cited… in a unitary political system, a whole college of potentiates would vie in competitive ballots for that post - while in the western model the arrangement might be called a coalition; where Olara Otunnu as UPC President might come-in with an entourage of his work team - but given our African-ness, there are always clutters of obstacles - including dire personality issues.
Well, politics is often said to be also a ‘game of chance’, more so in Africa where almost nothing is for certain and, “one in hand is better than two still out there somewhere”. What are our political interests? Do we need to be loyal to a political party even if it might never offer the dynamic development we aspire for? Do we have to subscribe to opposition or any party that promises no developments? When-actually, we see realistic advances being recorded under our very noses by the incumbent? Critically, what do we politically want… if not development - the question of leadership is participatory. And the question of leadership change becomes purely constitutional… if the nitty-gritty were set right by parliament.
Isn’t the unitary African political system then, the better developmental leadership funneling option? Where our concentrated intellect might create the better forum for the amicable arguing of our collective interests? Couldn’t an African concept of a round-table parliamentary system be an alternative to European’s (Incumbent Vs. Opposition settings) traditional parliamentary system that in Africa seem to generate nothing but negativity?
It is quite possible that had South Africa for example been a unitary political system, with a round-table conference setting parliamentary system, with perhaps a participatory lower galleria of human rights activists, the media and religious entities (in place of opposition voices in parliament), the changes that took place in ANC would not have created a break-away. The changes that broke ANC were very powerfully tribal.
This factor and the Kenyan election violence, should demonstrate to African Scholars, that a new purely African, by African political systems study, is very urgently needed.
Africans cannot hang-on to what western scholars formulated for their own democracies, and still think that these are going to work - in this new Millennium, with its new high-technology, there is a new value that has suddenly been added to Africa’s rural societies - African politics is not anymore going to be parliamentary (Us against Them), but rather (Our Common good). ****
Friday, October 15, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Bring Back Choloroquine
Bring back Choloroquine
It is still the ultimate organic anti-malaria drug…
Sam Mwaka-karama
Prices of very essential drugs especially anti-malaria have soared prohibitively from what the drugs used to cost up-till 2007… following dramatic exclusion of choloroquine from the position of top-of-the-range pharmaceutical drugs that treated malaria effectively for decades since Independence.
Choloroquine as the only authentic organic treatment-drug against malaria could not have suddenly gone so bad as to not be able to cure malaria it has been curing for decades…
This argument and debate (that either the drug had weakened or malaria had become overly resistant to the drug) was discovered and created by enemies of Africa, those who wanted to substitute this drug with untrustworthy ineffective versions; suggesting that choloroquine had suddenly weakened to a point it cured malaria no more - this is not true… the professionals have to retract - and make better here.
The other reason for side-lining choloroquine in Uganda is due to its supposed powerful side effect - ultimately associated to causes of blindness. (Adverse effect - Wikipedia - states; “At the doses used for prevention of malaria, side effects include gastrointestinal problems such as stomach aches, (uncomfortable) body itch, headaches and blurred vision”. This dose (besides the side-effect) is standard oral prescription, and still works.
Nothing is wrong with Choloroquine (the organic) original….
The dose Wikipedia talks about is standard oral treatment; (12 tablets @ 4-4-2-2, with piriton or antezine - for the itching) - here what the professionals should be talking about is the person to person discipline; to take this dose at the correct time-setting (every six hours with full meal) to avoid lowering of blood pressure and to engage the enzymes at work by constant digestion of the food and juices taken. Observe this and the organic choloroquine will not fail you… (I will tell you straight though, that out of 100 people, up to 80 will not take the drug in that correct time-setting, with meals and juices - and 10 won’t touch it for fear of side effect, those 10 will be carried on the stretcher to the emergency ward… and the last 10, are the ones who have the absolute discipline.
This essentially is where things went wrong between the professionals and the people for whom they are qualified to practice… treatment of malaria needs lots of (patient) personal discipline - what can only develop as a state-of-mind after thorough understanding of the ailment, the drug and the situation pre and post treatment. The professionals failed here: effect of malaria on the mind and body - effect of the mostly oral (and very personal) state of treatment - then effect of the treatment duration (roughly 48 hours from start) on the mind and body - and effect of the post treatment (roughly 60 hours from start) - Altogether a person who buys the drug from the clinic and treats himself/herself needs about 70 hours of absolute discipline and focused keenness to concentrate on absolutely completing that standard oral prescription. 80% of the sick don’t have the concentration or discipline - they break-off mid-way soon as they seem out of danger, thus failing to complete the dose prescribed… they might take the drug on empty stomach (I have no appetite) creating complications. They might drink a beer or even the hard stuff soon after taking choloroquine… the complexes are endless!
Definition of Quinine (from where comes choloroquine)… Wikipedia and Medical News - sites.
“Quinine - is a natural white crystalline alkaloid having antipyretic (fever reducing), anti- malarial, analgesic (pain killing), anti-inflammatory properties and a bitter taste. It is a stereoisomer of (guanidine) which, unlike quinine, is an anti-arrhythmic.
Though it has been synthesized in the lab by the professionals - the bark of the cinchona tree “Kina” is the only known source of quinine.
The medicinal properties of the cinchona tree were originally discovered by the Quechua Indians of Peru and Bolivia; later the Portuguese Jesuits were the first to bring cinchona to Europe…” The source of quinine is therefore naturally organic.
Introduction
1. Quinine is a natural alkaloid that has been used in medicine since the late 1700s. Known mostly for its ability to treat malaria, the drug is still popular today. Although quinine has also been used for relieving chronic leg cramps, the Food and Drug Administration has not officially approved the drug for anything other than malaria.
Malaria
2. Malaria is a disease caused by a protozoan parasite, largely spread by contact with infection-carrying mosquitoes. Once inside a person, the malaria protozoa start to break down the hemoglobin in the red blood cells into two separate substances, harem and globin. The parasite continues to grow and reproduce, breaking apart the red blood cells in the body as it multiplies. This effectively causes an outbreak of malaria.
How Quinine Works
3. Quinine works by interrupting malaria's reproductive course. To duplicate, a malaria parasite needs DNA. Quinine enters the bloodstream with the malaria parasite and binds itself to the DNA of the parasite. This blocks the parasite from reproducing itself. Once the parasite can no longer copy itself, the body can catch up, fight off the original infection and recover.
Other Ways Quinine Works
4. Quinine is also sometimes prescribed for muscle cramps. Quinine works this way by delaying the amount of time it takes for muscles to contract. With the muscle unable to contract as quickly and as often, the muscle cramp is relieved.
Side Effects
5. Quinine should not be used by those with heart issues, including irregular heartbeat, decreased function of the heart due to heart block or atrial fibrillation. Those with heart disease or a recent heart attack should not take quinine, as it may cause serious heart-related side effects. Those taking quinine may also experience a rash, kidney failure, headaches, confusion, abdominal pain and swelling of the face and lips. Additional information on side effects of quinine can be found at the link listed in Resources (linked to this page).
Researched authentic report re-validates choloroquine and, down-grades the new drugs (Fancida & Coatem).
PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT
Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center
With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai‘i
MALARIA DRUG FOUND INEFFECTIVE
Mosquito-borne disease resistant to Fancida
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, September 2, 2009) – Fancida, one of the drugs that is given to patients as treatment for malaria has been found in a preliminary study to have high resistance.
This was stated in a report given yesterday by Dr Celine Barnabas from PNG Institute of Medical Research at the medical symposium underway at the University of Papua New Guinea’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
She said this confirmed information that was known for some time that Fancida could not be given alone.
"Fancida is to be given in combination with other drugs and may be discarded one day,’’ she said, adding this would be done after more research had been done and when the Health Department had alternatives.
The finding was made from a survey that analyzed parasites carrying malaria and how they mutate, some of which related to the ineffectiveness of Fancida.
She said laboratory tools were used to look at the plasmodium vivax malaria that had been sparked recently by the description of severe cases of the disease, reemergence in different areas and reports of drug resistance.
Health Minister Sasa Zibe said he wants to see the newly-introduced anti-malarial ARCO distributed for use at the public health facilities. This drug is distributed by Borneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals Ltd and is taken as one single dose.
World Health Organisation is promoting another drug called Coatem which is taken for three days.
"I want to ask WHO to explain why they want Coatem because as compared to ARCO, you take one single dose,’’ he said.
The drug, ARCO, was launched in Port Moresby three years ago by Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and is under clinical trials before it will be decided by the Government through the Health Ministry whether it should be accepted as one of the drugs to treat malaria.
Papua New Guinea Post-Courier: www.postcourier.com.pg/
Copyright © 2009 PNG Post-Courier. All Rights Reserved
Go back to Pacific Islands Report: Graphics or Text Only.
Papua New Guinea - and the Pacific Islands have tropical experiences:
The self explanatory in-set document above is part of a greater ‘Pacific Islands Report’ released in September 2009, from the University of Papua New Guinea, School of Medicine - depicts ‘Fancida’ as a drug malarial-virus-is-resistant to.
In Uganda ‘Fancida’ is overpriced and sold in a questionable single dose (three tablets) prescription that doesn’t cure malaria.
While ‘Coatem’ on introduction nearly two years ago sold at a whooping 15,000 UGX per complete dose that has to be repeated… twice or three times.
World Health Organization - backed ‘Fancida’ and ‘Coatem’ are already a non-starter. While the original Choloroquine are still selling online… what is all these?
Africans should wake-up to the facts that, history of the choloroquine and quinine and their organic tree roots still outweigh both Fancida and Coatem, in the fight against malaria. Google search - does not come-out with search results for ‘roots of Fancida and Coatem’… A search generally does not yield satisfactory indications. This is serious considering the fact that these drugs are being highlighted as the legitimate alternative to Choloroquine. It is even more disturbing that pharmacy operators become annoyed when someone walks in asking for choloroquine…
The two WHO backed drugs may not have authentic roots. Or could they be mere “Coats”? **** (I first published this in the 'University Post' - Kampala)
Sam Mwaka-karama
Analyst/Editor
The Movement Times
Kampala - Uganda
It is still the ultimate organic anti-malaria drug…
Sam Mwaka-karama
Prices of very essential drugs especially anti-malaria have soared prohibitively from what the drugs used to cost up-till 2007… following dramatic exclusion of choloroquine from the position of top-of-the-range pharmaceutical drugs that treated malaria effectively for decades since Independence.
Choloroquine as the only authentic organic treatment-drug against malaria could not have suddenly gone so bad as to not be able to cure malaria it has been curing for decades…
This argument and debate (that either the drug had weakened or malaria had become overly resistant to the drug) was discovered and created by enemies of Africa, those who wanted to substitute this drug with untrustworthy ineffective versions; suggesting that choloroquine had suddenly weakened to a point it cured malaria no more - this is not true… the professionals have to retract - and make better here.
The other reason for side-lining choloroquine in Uganda is due to its supposed powerful side effect - ultimately associated to causes of blindness. (Adverse effect - Wikipedia - states; “At the doses used for prevention of malaria, side effects include gastrointestinal problems such as stomach aches, (uncomfortable) body itch, headaches and blurred vision”. This dose (besides the side-effect) is standard oral prescription, and still works.
Nothing is wrong with Choloroquine (the organic) original….
The dose Wikipedia talks about is standard oral treatment; (12 tablets @ 4-4-2-2, with piriton or antezine - for the itching) - here what the professionals should be talking about is the person to person discipline; to take this dose at the correct time-setting (every six hours with full meal) to avoid lowering of blood pressure and to engage the enzymes at work by constant digestion of the food and juices taken. Observe this and the organic choloroquine will not fail you… (I will tell you straight though, that out of 100 people, up to 80 will not take the drug in that correct time-setting, with meals and juices - and 10 won’t touch it for fear of side effect, those 10 will be carried on the stretcher to the emergency ward… and the last 10, are the ones who have the absolute discipline.
This essentially is where things went wrong between the professionals and the people for whom they are qualified to practice… treatment of malaria needs lots of (patient) personal discipline - what can only develop as a state-of-mind after thorough understanding of the ailment, the drug and the situation pre and post treatment. The professionals failed here: effect of malaria on the mind and body - effect of the mostly oral (and very personal) state of treatment - then effect of the treatment duration (roughly 48 hours from start) on the mind and body - and effect of the post treatment (roughly 60 hours from start) - Altogether a person who buys the drug from the clinic and treats himself/herself needs about 70 hours of absolute discipline and focused keenness to concentrate on absolutely completing that standard oral prescription. 80% of the sick don’t have the concentration or discipline - they break-off mid-way soon as they seem out of danger, thus failing to complete the dose prescribed… they might take the drug on empty stomach (I have no appetite) creating complications. They might drink a beer or even the hard stuff soon after taking choloroquine… the complexes are endless!
Definition of Quinine (from where comes choloroquine)… Wikipedia and Medical News - sites.
“Quinine - is a natural white crystalline alkaloid having antipyretic (fever reducing), anti- malarial, analgesic (pain killing), anti-inflammatory properties and a bitter taste. It is a stereoisomer of (guanidine) which, unlike quinine, is an anti-arrhythmic.
Though it has been synthesized in the lab by the professionals - the bark of the cinchona tree “Kina” is the only known source of quinine.
The medicinal properties of the cinchona tree were originally discovered by the Quechua Indians of Peru and Bolivia; later the Portuguese Jesuits were the first to bring cinchona to Europe…” The source of quinine is therefore naturally organic.
Introduction
1. Quinine is a natural alkaloid that has been used in medicine since the late 1700s. Known mostly for its ability to treat malaria, the drug is still popular today. Although quinine has also been used for relieving chronic leg cramps, the Food and Drug Administration has not officially approved the drug for anything other than malaria.
Malaria
2. Malaria is a disease caused by a protozoan parasite, largely spread by contact with infection-carrying mosquitoes. Once inside a person, the malaria protozoa start to break down the hemoglobin in the red blood cells into two separate substances, harem and globin. The parasite continues to grow and reproduce, breaking apart the red blood cells in the body as it multiplies. This effectively causes an outbreak of malaria.
How Quinine Works
3. Quinine works by interrupting malaria's reproductive course. To duplicate, a malaria parasite needs DNA. Quinine enters the bloodstream with the malaria parasite and binds itself to the DNA of the parasite. This blocks the parasite from reproducing itself. Once the parasite can no longer copy itself, the body can catch up, fight off the original infection and recover.
Other Ways Quinine Works
4. Quinine is also sometimes prescribed for muscle cramps. Quinine works this way by delaying the amount of time it takes for muscles to contract. With the muscle unable to contract as quickly and as often, the muscle cramp is relieved.
Side Effects
5. Quinine should not be used by those with heart issues, including irregular heartbeat, decreased function of the heart due to heart block or atrial fibrillation. Those with heart disease or a recent heart attack should not take quinine, as it may cause serious heart-related side effects. Those taking quinine may also experience a rash, kidney failure, headaches, confusion, abdominal pain and swelling of the face and lips. Additional information on side effects of quinine can be found at the link listed in Resources (linked to this page).
Researched authentic report re-validates choloroquine and, down-grades the new drugs (Fancida & Coatem).
PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT
Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center
With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai‘i
MALARIA DRUG FOUND INEFFECTIVE
Mosquito-borne disease resistant to Fancida
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, September 2, 2009) – Fancida, one of the drugs that is given to patients as treatment for malaria has been found in a preliminary study to have high resistance.
This was stated in a report given yesterday by Dr Celine Barnabas from PNG Institute of Medical Research at the medical symposium underway at the University of Papua New Guinea’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
She said this confirmed information that was known for some time that Fancida could not be given alone.
"Fancida is to be given in combination with other drugs and may be discarded one day,’’ she said, adding this would be done after more research had been done and when the Health Department had alternatives.
The finding was made from a survey that analyzed parasites carrying malaria and how they mutate, some of which related to the ineffectiveness of Fancida.
She said laboratory tools were used to look at the plasmodium vivax malaria that had been sparked recently by the description of severe cases of the disease, reemergence in different areas and reports of drug resistance.
Health Minister Sasa Zibe said he wants to see the newly-introduced anti-malarial ARCO distributed for use at the public health facilities. This drug is distributed by Borneo Pacific Pharmaceuticals Ltd and is taken as one single dose.
World Health Organisation is promoting another drug called Coatem which is taken for three days.
"I want to ask WHO to explain why they want Coatem because as compared to ARCO, you take one single dose,’’ he said.
The drug, ARCO, was launched in Port Moresby three years ago by Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and is under clinical trials before it will be decided by the Government through the Health Ministry whether it should be accepted as one of the drugs to treat malaria.
Papua New Guinea Post-Courier: www.postcourier.com.pg/
Copyright © 2009 PNG Post-Courier. All Rights Reserved
Go back to Pacific Islands Report: Graphics or Text Only.
Papua New Guinea - and the Pacific Islands have tropical experiences:
The self explanatory in-set document above is part of a greater ‘Pacific Islands Report’ released in September 2009, from the University of Papua New Guinea, School of Medicine - depicts ‘Fancida’ as a drug malarial-virus-is-resistant to.
In Uganda ‘Fancida’ is overpriced and sold in a questionable single dose (three tablets) prescription that doesn’t cure malaria.
While ‘Coatem’ on introduction nearly two years ago sold at a whooping 15,000 UGX per complete dose that has to be repeated… twice or three times.
World Health Organization - backed ‘Fancida’ and ‘Coatem’ are already a non-starter. While the original Choloroquine are still selling online… what is all these?
Africans should wake-up to the facts that, history of the choloroquine and quinine and their organic tree roots still outweigh both Fancida and Coatem, in the fight against malaria. Google search - does not come-out with search results for ‘roots of Fancida and Coatem’… A search generally does not yield satisfactory indications. This is serious considering the fact that these drugs are being highlighted as the legitimate alternative to Choloroquine. It is even more disturbing that pharmacy operators become annoyed when someone walks in asking for choloroquine…
The two WHO backed drugs may not have authentic roots. Or could they be mere “Coats”? **** (I first published this in the 'University Post' - Kampala)
Sam Mwaka-karama
Analyst/Editor
The Movement Times
Kampala - Uganda
Monday, August 30, 2010
Africa needs International aid - Africa May not need Foreign aid...
Africa needs International aid - Africa may not need Foreign aid…
Commentary on CNN’s Robert Calderisi’s critical views on foreign aid to Africa
Sam Mwaka-karama
Robert Calderisi - Special to CNN, whose critical view “why foreign aid and Africa don’t mix” published August 18, 2010. Is an analysis grossly merging-up impact of a variation of issues that emanate from over 40 years of experience in the field of ‘aid to Africa’ with a pinch of bias…
“Africa has attracted too much aid and interfering by outsiders” Robert Calderisi highlights, actually this factor negate Calderisi’s views that ‘foreign aid and Africa don’t mix’… the very reason why that is so is because of outside-interferences, which he cites in his highlight - there is always an invisible tracking and retrieval of foreign aid, once released to the coffers an African of State.
Somewhere along the line strings and loose-ends always dangle, that the interferers Robert talks about quickly pick and pull huge percentages of the aid back to foreign countries abroad, either in consultancy, or in monitoring activities, or in supervisory of the funds implementation.
At least this was so in the early days; 1970s, 80s, and parts of 1990s.
It was the creation of the group of 7 with later Russia joining to make the G8 - that put a decisive end to the (aid-draw-back) by the interferers (I must thank Robert Calderisi for mentioning this)… the parameters for aid acquisition was different then, from what it is today.
African governments of the 1970, 80s used ‘aid negotiators’ actually teams of ministry of finance officials, with perhaps that of foreign ministry, who were often sent to foreign countries with state proposals, these fellows always had to accommodate interests of the ‘interferers’, what naturally affected accountability… certain factors were always never clear! Even harder was reconciling the records were difficult in the old non-computer systems.
The time-laps in the long-run covered most accountability and record reconciliation factors. Officials often covered-up for the long-gone kickback. In Africa of those days, secrets didn’t exist - prideful aid negotiators always impressed admirers with facts and figures, when the beers got one too many - the demand for kickback were the beginning of the whole thing being chewed-up at all levels of aid implementation - what is corruption anyway?
Aid implementation of substance only started after G8’s Scotland meet that Prime Minister Tony Blair had called. Besides, it was in Scotland that the G8 did the write-off of all that earlier bad kick-back and corruption broiled aid… it is all so well for the Calderisi-s to criticize African leaders now, but the funds always got tracked and shoveled-back by the foreign ‘interferers’.
“Most African governments remain stuck in the culture of dependency or indifference” Robert Calderisi writes rather maliciously.
No African government is ‘stuck in dependency’ - there are groups of develop countries G8, Asean etcetera… who have national and group aid policies, that were not written by African governments. It is their-own foreign policies - to provide aid to Africa.
Calderisi - seem to think wrongly that African governments are constantly demanding aid from foreign countries… “Stuck in a culture of dependency…?” Such cultures don’t exist, African governments could be stuck if they ‘made demands for aid’ which is not the case at all.
Foreign aid providers act according to their (national or group) principles and policies. G8 in Scotland 2005 made one condition to African countries - to embark on structural adjustments in their countries that would carry better ‘fight against poverty’ mechanisms and allow for both Direct Foreign Investments DFI and local entrepreneur investments opportunities.
Uganda has achieved tremendously in this direction, and severally the country despite its civil strife with war in Northern Uganda for 20 years - (till about 2006) - when nearly two million people were IDP Camped - still Uganda is being cited to other African countries as a positive implementer of that Scotland G8 conditions…
Yes! Uganda could very-well be fast-tracking India, Indonesia, and even China - though from a very great distance way-back behind. But for a country that has been at war, the indicators are all there, and if the foreigners in-fluxing into the country don’t derail us with their ‘interferences’ Uganda could get there in hardly forty to fifty more years.
“After decades of aid, conditions for private savings and investment are still forbidding” I think here Robert Calderisi was being either naïve or entirely text-bookish - “private saving and Investment” what is this man talking about?
The new World Economic Order - with emergence of the Transnational, International Corporate Communications entities, International and foreign NGOs - charity implementers, in various fields including Agriculture, forestation, human rights, health etcetera, have virtually killed co-operative saving cultures (Uganda lost its Cooperative Bank and leading Commercial Bank not many years ago) Today foreign investor banks have occupied that vacated slots.
In a new world of high spending; boda-boda and commuters, airtime, internet café fees, impossible bank services-charges (that amount to robbery of depositors), DSTV, the 2GB Bluetooth-server’s monthly fee, for access to internet privately on laptop - how does anybody talk about the ‘culture of private savings and investment’ too many fancy stuff conspire to take money from the private individual all the time - more serious public savings like treasury bills and bank bonds have been taken-over by huge Corporatism, banks themselves, insurances - a private small money man can’t venture there (in treasury bills) anymore.
The Economists are all wrong: banks and corporate, buying treasury bills beyond ‘basic capital requirement to start a bank or saving Corporation…’ are very intimidating!
I am not an economist but, I think if a bank formation capital begins at 50Billion UGX (example), and ‘Sam’s Bank Ltd’ six months after opening-up teller services - turns-up at the central bank with 100Billion UGX to buy treasury bills - this means the bank simply wants to multiply the depositors account savings… to me the economics is wrong, when the banks charge exorbitant services fees to the depositors at the same-time… this negate ‘saving’ since whenever transactions are made, fees charged dig into the ‘saving’.
“Imagination and Individual initiative important in promoting a better life for Africans”… Here Robert Calderisi seem to have come-in from Mars - individual initiative went with the demise of the stereotypes idea-men in Europe and the Americas, even Russia.
So what individual initiative was he talking about? The yardstick being sold to Africa is groups for everything… ‘form groups and write a proposal’ - that is the key word to prospects for development in Africa today - whether you want to dig a fish-pond, or plant trees, start a bee-keeper hives, start farming or open a tailoring shop - just form a group and write a proposal.
The individual - say - a writer, who wants to get support to buy a good laptop or PC, with which to tackle serious book projects, will never be supported because he is an individual! Some of Robert Calderisi’s remarks are surprising…
Africa is changing and the changes here are influenced not by Foreign aid, but by the dynamics of world economics and technology developments. Actually Africa may no longer need foreign aid - but Africa still needs International aid: World Bank, IMF, UN, Commonwealth, WHO ( if it can maintain positive outlook) FAO and other international and Universal systems. But dire foreign aid - Africa may no longer need that.
“The Blair Commission Report on Africa in 2005 reported that 70,000 trained professionals leave Africa every year…” Here I think Robert Calderisi rightly sees the occasion of an enormous brain-drain as it is always referred to… but his suggestion that till these guys return with their 40% savings abroad - seemingly to begin taking charge of Africa, aid providers should and “need to use aid more restrictively” is un-necessary.
The African Diaspora just like that of the Jews, Turks, Armenians, the Irish etcetera will always be out there - whether they will learn to invest back-home is I think something to do with African cultures… and I doubt that African Diaspora people will make any significant changes in Africa with their money. It isn’t easy to explain but it is cultural.
“President Obama is being criticized for increasing US contributions to the international fight against HIV/AIDS by only two percent… with the result that people in Uganda are already being turned away from clinics an - and (therefore) condemned to die… when challenged, US officials have had fairly solid answer... Uganda has recently discovered oil and gas deposits, but had gone on a shopping spree, reportedly ordering fighter planes worth US$ 300 million from Russia… Here I think Robert Calderisi shades light on an important point”.
About this, Calderisi says “An obvious solution is to focus aid on the small number of countries that are trying seriously to fight poverty and corruption”.
But then, I would say that the Americans should view HIV/AIDS as a hazardous health issue, an area that should not be misconstrued with other factors, if Uganda ordered war machinery say from China, wanting to utilize the newly found oil money, America has so many areas of causes of action against Uganda (for that) than constraining HIV/AIDS funding…
Even citing where the money for the war equipment came from and where it went... is irrelevant: Joseph Kony the LRA (of the Northern Uganda War of 20 years) is still at large somewhere between DR Congo (Garamba) and the huge rain forests of greater Central African Countries - these are causes for a country with a little money to-quickly-spend would think about and act. 40 years is a long time of aid provision, Robert Calderisi’s analysis takes a single angle from where to cast his views - ignoring the various characteristics of the operations since the 1970, 80s, 90s to date.****
Commentary on CNN’s Robert Calderisi’s critical views on foreign aid to Africa
Sam Mwaka-karama
Robert Calderisi - Special to CNN, whose critical view “why foreign aid and Africa don’t mix” published August 18, 2010. Is an analysis grossly merging-up impact of a variation of issues that emanate from over 40 years of experience in the field of ‘aid to Africa’ with a pinch of bias…
“Africa has attracted too much aid and interfering by outsiders” Robert Calderisi highlights, actually this factor negate Calderisi’s views that ‘foreign aid and Africa don’t mix’… the very reason why that is so is because of outside-interferences, which he cites in his highlight - there is always an invisible tracking and retrieval of foreign aid, once released to the coffers an African of State.
Somewhere along the line strings and loose-ends always dangle, that the interferers Robert talks about quickly pick and pull huge percentages of the aid back to foreign countries abroad, either in consultancy, or in monitoring activities, or in supervisory of the funds implementation.
At least this was so in the early days; 1970s, 80s, and parts of 1990s.
It was the creation of the group of 7 with later Russia joining to make the G8 - that put a decisive end to the (aid-draw-back) by the interferers (I must thank Robert Calderisi for mentioning this)… the parameters for aid acquisition was different then, from what it is today.
African governments of the 1970, 80s used ‘aid negotiators’ actually teams of ministry of finance officials, with perhaps that of foreign ministry, who were often sent to foreign countries with state proposals, these fellows always had to accommodate interests of the ‘interferers’, what naturally affected accountability… certain factors were always never clear! Even harder was reconciling the records were difficult in the old non-computer systems.
The time-laps in the long-run covered most accountability and record reconciliation factors. Officials often covered-up for the long-gone kickback. In Africa of those days, secrets didn’t exist - prideful aid negotiators always impressed admirers with facts and figures, when the beers got one too many - the demand for kickback were the beginning of the whole thing being chewed-up at all levels of aid implementation - what is corruption anyway?
Aid implementation of substance only started after G8’s Scotland meet that Prime Minister Tony Blair had called. Besides, it was in Scotland that the G8 did the write-off of all that earlier bad kick-back and corruption broiled aid… it is all so well for the Calderisi-s to criticize African leaders now, but the funds always got tracked and shoveled-back by the foreign ‘interferers’.
“Most African governments remain stuck in the culture of dependency or indifference” Robert Calderisi writes rather maliciously.
No African government is ‘stuck in dependency’ - there are groups of develop countries G8, Asean etcetera… who have national and group aid policies, that were not written by African governments. It is their-own foreign policies - to provide aid to Africa.
Calderisi - seem to think wrongly that African governments are constantly demanding aid from foreign countries… “Stuck in a culture of dependency…?” Such cultures don’t exist, African governments could be stuck if they ‘made demands for aid’ which is not the case at all.
Foreign aid providers act according to their (national or group) principles and policies. G8 in Scotland 2005 made one condition to African countries - to embark on structural adjustments in their countries that would carry better ‘fight against poverty’ mechanisms and allow for both Direct Foreign Investments DFI and local entrepreneur investments opportunities.
Uganda has achieved tremendously in this direction, and severally the country despite its civil strife with war in Northern Uganda for 20 years - (till about 2006) - when nearly two million people were IDP Camped - still Uganda is being cited to other African countries as a positive implementer of that Scotland G8 conditions…
Yes! Uganda could very-well be fast-tracking India, Indonesia, and even China - though from a very great distance way-back behind. But for a country that has been at war, the indicators are all there, and if the foreigners in-fluxing into the country don’t derail us with their ‘interferences’ Uganda could get there in hardly forty to fifty more years.
“After decades of aid, conditions for private savings and investment are still forbidding” I think here Robert Calderisi was being either naïve or entirely text-bookish - “private saving and Investment” what is this man talking about?
The new World Economic Order - with emergence of the Transnational, International Corporate Communications entities, International and foreign NGOs - charity implementers, in various fields including Agriculture, forestation, human rights, health etcetera, have virtually killed co-operative saving cultures (Uganda lost its Cooperative Bank and leading Commercial Bank not many years ago) Today foreign investor banks have occupied that vacated slots.
In a new world of high spending; boda-boda and commuters, airtime, internet café fees, impossible bank services-charges (that amount to robbery of depositors), DSTV, the 2GB Bluetooth-server’s monthly fee, for access to internet privately on laptop - how does anybody talk about the ‘culture of private savings and investment’ too many fancy stuff conspire to take money from the private individual all the time - more serious public savings like treasury bills and bank bonds have been taken-over by huge Corporatism, banks themselves, insurances - a private small money man can’t venture there (in treasury bills) anymore.
The Economists are all wrong: banks and corporate, buying treasury bills beyond ‘basic capital requirement to start a bank or saving Corporation…’ are very intimidating!
I am not an economist but, I think if a bank formation capital begins at 50Billion UGX (example), and ‘Sam’s Bank Ltd’ six months after opening-up teller services - turns-up at the central bank with 100Billion UGX to buy treasury bills - this means the bank simply wants to multiply the depositors account savings… to me the economics is wrong, when the banks charge exorbitant services fees to the depositors at the same-time… this negate ‘saving’ since whenever transactions are made, fees charged dig into the ‘saving’.
“Imagination and Individual initiative important in promoting a better life for Africans”… Here Robert Calderisi seem to have come-in from Mars - individual initiative went with the demise of the stereotypes idea-men in Europe and the Americas, even Russia.
So what individual initiative was he talking about? The yardstick being sold to Africa is groups for everything… ‘form groups and write a proposal’ - that is the key word to prospects for development in Africa today - whether you want to dig a fish-pond, or plant trees, start a bee-keeper hives, start farming or open a tailoring shop - just form a group and write a proposal.
The individual - say - a writer, who wants to get support to buy a good laptop or PC, with which to tackle serious book projects, will never be supported because he is an individual! Some of Robert Calderisi’s remarks are surprising…
Africa is changing and the changes here are influenced not by Foreign aid, but by the dynamics of world economics and technology developments. Actually Africa may no longer need foreign aid - but Africa still needs International aid: World Bank, IMF, UN, Commonwealth, WHO ( if it can maintain positive outlook) FAO and other international and Universal systems. But dire foreign aid - Africa may no longer need that.
“The Blair Commission Report on Africa in 2005 reported that 70,000 trained professionals leave Africa every year…” Here I think Robert Calderisi rightly sees the occasion of an enormous brain-drain as it is always referred to… but his suggestion that till these guys return with their 40% savings abroad - seemingly to begin taking charge of Africa, aid providers should and “need to use aid more restrictively” is un-necessary.
The African Diaspora just like that of the Jews, Turks, Armenians, the Irish etcetera will always be out there - whether they will learn to invest back-home is I think something to do with African cultures… and I doubt that African Diaspora people will make any significant changes in Africa with their money. It isn’t easy to explain but it is cultural.
“President Obama is being criticized for increasing US contributions to the international fight against HIV/AIDS by only two percent… with the result that people in Uganda are already being turned away from clinics an - and (therefore) condemned to die… when challenged, US officials have had fairly solid answer... Uganda has recently discovered oil and gas deposits, but had gone on a shopping spree, reportedly ordering fighter planes worth US$ 300 million from Russia… Here I think Robert Calderisi shades light on an important point”.
About this, Calderisi says “An obvious solution is to focus aid on the small number of countries that are trying seriously to fight poverty and corruption”.
But then, I would say that the Americans should view HIV/AIDS as a hazardous health issue, an area that should not be misconstrued with other factors, if Uganda ordered war machinery say from China, wanting to utilize the newly found oil money, America has so many areas of causes of action against Uganda (for that) than constraining HIV/AIDS funding…
Even citing where the money for the war equipment came from and where it went... is irrelevant: Joseph Kony the LRA (of the Northern Uganda War of 20 years) is still at large somewhere between DR Congo (Garamba) and the huge rain forests of greater Central African Countries - these are causes for a country with a little money to-quickly-spend would think about and act. 40 years is a long time of aid provision, Robert Calderisi’s analysis takes a single angle from where to cast his views - ignoring the various characteristics of the operations since the 1970, 80s, 90s to date.****
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Swahili - all Africa's [Pulp] Language...
Swahili – all Africa’s [Pulp] Language…
What an African King recently said
Sam Mwaka-karama
Ivory Coast - traditional King TCHIFFI ZIE Jean Gervais – recently in Kampala for the just ended African Union AU conference gave a little Press Briefing July 28, 2010 - at the Imperial Royale in Kampala. Addressing the press in his official capacity as the “Permanent Secretary General” of the “Forum of Kings, Sultans, Princes, Sheikhs, Paramount Chiefs and traditional leaders in Africa”, he spoke emphatically of need for An African continental language.
Among so many other issues the Ivorian traditional King spoke about was – the issue of a common continental African communicative language that can comfortably link the African people… a language that can very easily be formalized and as easily informally spread.
The wise Ivorian King thought that such a language is the Eastern African – Swahili language – and for that he had this to say…
“In regard to the question of a common language in Africa… we are studying the possibility of having Swahili formalized at all levels of Schools throughout the continent. We believe it is a language deep and broad enough to be a continental language – it is evident – that African peoples from Western, Central, Southern and Northern parts of the continent – who have travelled to and interacted commonly with East Africans (origin of Swahili), via exposure have within relatively very short periods informally learnt Swahili – that should convince us all that Swahili is easily Africa’s continental language”.
And true to the Ivorian King’s words, I can share this on my blog here as testimony to that - I have since way back in the 1970s socially known a good number of West Africans from Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Mali, Guinea, Senegal and Liberia – diplomats, businessmen and other exiled categories of travelers who lived in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania 1960s/70s. And yes these West Africans quickly learnt and spoke fluent Swahili.
And certainly during those years a score of Southern Africans of the Apartheid exile days who passed through Eastern Africa or, briefly lived in any of the major East African Cities – generally spoke good informal Swahili – and since that much travelled 1970s/80s - time when lots of Africans were ejected from their countries by coups, dictatorships or revolutionary wars… many central Africans from the old Zaire, Congo and Emperor Bokasa’s Central African Republic, Cameroun and Gabon lived for long stretches in East Africa, and via these travels – Swahili spread and by shifting this language is now spoken over much of the Central African Region.
During Don King’s ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ with Mohamed Ali and George Foreman back in 1974, I travelled flying three trips Entebbe/Kinshasa return within that year. And that time Swahili was unknown in the city of Kinshasa - we had to learn rudimentary Lingala or pidgin French to get along. It was the ultimate fun-times for us a group of four wild sports fans - in the most exciting music city in Africa - all the way from Kampala… simply memorable.
Today – thirty six years later, I am told by Ugandans who have travelled to D R Congo’s capital Kinshasa and confirm that one can now get along in the city comfortably speaking Swahili.
What I mean is Swahili is spreading… and as a trade language I doubt that anything can inhibit its spread – I think the Ivorian traditional King is right and also in-time, it isn’t (if) but very definitely AU has to launch a continental program easing-in the issue into the mindset of our fellow Africans – Swahili as Africa’s [pulp] language formally introduced or not, is likely to take the whole Africa over the next two decades. So why not formalize it now? ****
Sam Mwaka-karama
Analyst/Editor
The Movement Times
Kampala
What an African King recently said
Sam Mwaka-karama
Ivory Coast - traditional King TCHIFFI ZIE Jean Gervais – recently in Kampala for the just ended African Union AU conference gave a little Press Briefing July 28, 2010 - at the Imperial Royale in Kampala. Addressing the press in his official capacity as the “Permanent Secretary General” of the “Forum of Kings, Sultans, Princes, Sheikhs, Paramount Chiefs and traditional leaders in Africa”, he spoke emphatically of need for An African continental language.
Among so many other issues the Ivorian traditional King spoke about was – the issue of a common continental African communicative language that can comfortably link the African people… a language that can very easily be formalized and as easily informally spread.
The wise Ivorian King thought that such a language is the Eastern African – Swahili language – and for that he had this to say…
“In regard to the question of a common language in Africa… we are studying the possibility of having Swahili formalized at all levels of Schools throughout the continent. We believe it is a language deep and broad enough to be a continental language – it is evident – that African peoples from Western, Central, Southern and Northern parts of the continent – who have travelled to and interacted commonly with East Africans (origin of Swahili), via exposure have within relatively very short periods informally learnt Swahili – that should convince us all that Swahili is easily Africa’s continental language”.
And true to the Ivorian King’s words, I can share this on my blog here as testimony to that - I have since way back in the 1970s socially known a good number of West Africans from Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Mali, Guinea, Senegal and Liberia – diplomats, businessmen and other exiled categories of travelers who lived in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania 1960s/70s. And yes these West Africans quickly learnt and spoke fluent Swahili.
And certainly during those years a score of Southern Africans of the Apartheid exile days who passed through Eastern Africa or, briefly lived in any of the major East African Cities – generally spoke good informal Swahili – and since that much travelled 1970s/80s - time when lots of Africans were ejected from their countries by coups, dictatorships or revolutionary wars… many central Africans from the old Zaire, Congo and Emperor Bokasa’s Central African Republic, Cameroun and Gabon lived for long stretches in East Africa, and via these travels – Swahili spread and by shifting this language is now spoken over much of the Central African Region.
During Don King’s ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ with Mohamed Ali and George Foreman back in 1974, I travelled flying three trips Entebbe/Kinshasa return within that year. And that time Swahili was unknown in the city of Kinshasa - we had to learn rudimentary Lingala or pidgin French to get along. It was the ultimate fun-times for us a group of four wild sports fans - in the most exciting music city in Africa - all the way from Kampala… simply memorable.
Today – thirty six years later, I am told by Ugandans who have travelled to D R Congo’s capital Kinshasa and confirm that one can now get along in the city comfortably speaking Swahili.
What I mean is Swahili is spreading… and as a trade language I doubt that anything can inhibit its spread – I think the Ivorian traditional King is right and also in-time, it isn’t (if) but very definitely AU has to launch a continental program easing-in the issue into the mindset of our fellow Africans – Swahili as Africa’s [pulp] language formally introduced or not, is likely to take the whole Africa over the next two decades. So why not formalize it now? ****
Sam Mwaka-karama
Analyst/Editor
The Movement Times
Kampala
Monday, July 19, 2010
Al Shabaab kills traditional relationships between Somalians and Ugandans
Al Shabaab kills traditional relations between Somalians and Ugandans…
Perspective of an outraged and concerned Ugandan
Sam Mwaka-karama
At the dawn of colonialism, a hundred years ago, the Imperial Company of East Africa - then as forerunner of colonialism in East Africa, imported labor forces from India.
Native Africans at that early time were considered un-primed human resource for the purpose of building the Railway line from Kenya to Uganda. As primed laborers Coastal peoples of Kenya, were however usably to the Imperial Company - having been primed so by the Portuguese builders of Fort Jesus in Mombasa centuries earlier.
When the ‘Lunatic Express’ line (after braving the roaring Lions of Tsavo) finally crossed to Uganda, the labor forces that manned the enormous job were Indians, Digos, Swahilli of the Kenya Coast tribal stock, and the Luos of Kenya - and attached to them were a sprinkling of Somalis.
It is believed that largely the Somalis might have been the Cooks that prepared the meals… though I personally have not read that part in any history of the building of the East African Railway.
However the nature of activities Somalis were engaged in - long after that foundation era - and perhaps three decades before Independence - generally indicates a background role in food preparations.
Colonial authorities naturally rewarded the Indians who were officially conscripted from the old country - by installing them in every town “Bomas” founded in all parts of Uganda… as developers of the Bazaar. Certainly Indians were constitutional (or rather gazetted) right up till Independence. And thus were entitled to that reward.
However, Somalis might have not been in the same status as Indians… even then they enjoyed a very privileged freedom way-up above indigenous tribes of Uganda.
Indigenous tribesmen join the labor camps…
Colonial Authorities first conscripted Africans into the labor camps according to their evident habitat and especially shelter; those African tribes with skills to construct good basically structured dwellings were pulled in big numbers to labor in various towns… of cause after first building the labor camps (whose typical basic design replicated that original tribal huts as built then - like that by the Acholi - which triggered the manufacture of the tin Uniports - years later) wherever the railway line progressed to, till Jinja, at the source and initially east of the Nile.
And then the spread of the litany of towns began, and progressively the Indians became the supervisors as more and more the natives were gaining work skills: eventually most of the towns had quarters for the workers; Indians took much of the Bazaar lands, and began building, while the more administrative Goans had quarters to themselves, mostly away from the bazaar.
And the natives working in the towns built their own dwelling so that; Acholi quarters, Teso (bar) quarters, Lugbara quarters etcetera… sprang-up everywhere - wherever towns were founded.
In 1911 the Acholi people of Lamogi rebel-suddenly against colonialism - now this puts the Acholi people generally at question - Lamogi people were put-down by the Kenyans and Nubians under the colonial command.
And for Ten years till 1920 Lamogi people were displaced and encamped… however the churches needed labor around about the time - and that was a relief for the encamped Lamogi people participating in the works.
St Joseph Cathedral in Gulu Northern Uganda was thus built. The church also began developing a litany of schools in all the founded towns. What was to insure the future status of the indigenous.
By the 1930s much of the towns of Uganda were founded - Indians were high class and operated the bazaar activities. Somalis operated the butcheries, tearooms and eating kiosks that decades later were eating houses and hotels - and the markets that where mostly started around the butcheries by the Nubians and Swahilis and Luos of Kenya who had settled. (in Moroto, Karamoja the last town to be founded in Uganda - Camp Swahilli survives to this day).
What guaranteed status of the tribes was fact that the colonial authority worked with the tribal Chiefs. And that was where the lands people had their land rights guaranteed. I believe that the British with their United Kingdom and the centuries of development alluded to that hard earned unity of the Kingdoms, believed in those basic chiefdoms they found in existence among the Ugandan tribes.
Hitler’s War - uplifted status of the indigenous...
The Second World War catapulted status of the indigenous way-up to intimidating levels to the Indians and Somalis living in the various towns of Uganda - the war heroes brought with them a new confidence.
Between 1945 and 1950, things had changed dramatically in advantage of the local people. Their children going to class with the Indians with zest - confidence began building as character and eventually personas appeared to even equal the Indians who were actually very bright.
Of cause back in their own countries - the Indians and even Somalis had participated in the war - perhaps from both sides! Especially for Somalia which was divided-up between three European countries, what was a terrible confusion for the Somali people - a situation that was to polarize itself with fall of Hitler - and Mussolini, Italians lost their hold in the horn of Africa… that post war era in the horn of Africa ushered-in the complication - Islamism.
Somali developments in Uganda…
During all those years of volatility in the horn of Africa, many Somalis shifted and trickled into East Africa - and enjoying free access to anything in Uganda, most of those seeking fortunes away from Somalia joined their fellows in the country - Diaspora Somali had began!
As Ugandans eased into the administration mostly supervised by Goans and some Indians who opted to join government of the protectorate, the mentality was that of near brotherhood despite the skin color differences and racial roots…
This acceptability was the mis-guidedness Ugandans grew-up with; that the country belonged to all of us, we the natives and the Indians and Somalis were all natural to Uganda.
Between 1950 and 1960 several immigrant Somalis trickled in always naturally crossing the borders between Uganda and Kenya freely… indeed Germany that had colonized Tanganyika lost the country to Britain - that again opened the path for Somalis to also enter into Then Tanganyika equally freely - well, Somalis are coastal people and have had historical migratory movements along the Indian Ocean Coastal lines for centuries - that is undeniable. The Somalis therefore became domicile to the three East African countries.
Now Somalis are however a very difficult self centered people… in all the one hundred years since dawn of colonialism, they could not melt-away into marriages and dissolve into the various tribes of East Africa.
They instead jealously guarded their creed, they maintained their culture and language with uncommon avarice - they held to their natural inclination towards violence and brow-beat attitude.
Even after independence (as foreigners) Somalis were the only outright foreign people who carried large knives openly - like the native Karamojong carried spears and rungu clubbing-bats or, the Ankole carried long sticks and spears of the herdsman or, like the Acholi of the time carried spears and Lokilee small axes… one might say that Somalis naturalized in Uganda more psychologically that officially.
General Iddi Amin’s friendship with General Siad Barre in the 1970s capped Somali/Uganda relationship. That time the Diaspora Somalis gained tremendous advantage with enormous wealth that they constantly sent abroad.
The small developments they had in Kishenyi in Kampala, which was likened to Eisliegh in Nairobi - had become serious investments in trucking and bush services even small and medium scale industries that were money minting.
And being a constantly travelling people, their World Wide Spread largely UNHCR aided, became an enormous network - that today is worth fortunes - mostly all that is from that humble beginning in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
As Aideed and the War Lords wrecked that old country, the Diaspora Somalis developed and supported the various struggles - till things culminated into “Black Hawk Down”.
Al Shabaab and Uganda…
What every Ugandan can’t keep quiet about is the wanton act of Al Shabaab bombing a very tender soft target, like they did to the Soccer fans.
To all and sundry it is known World Wide that Sports is the symbol of peace… however, it is also natural that not everybody can be involved in sports, which is why sports is largely an entertainment industry.
We cannot all participate in competitive sports - the Chinese once had programmes of nationwide martial arts - but today it is highly unlikely that all Chinese are martial arts experts… Al Shabaab has killed traditional relationship that existed between Somalians and Ugandans since colonial times. The African Union offers the best forums for conflict resolve between Africans and not just African Governments, even rebel organizations like that of the LRA of Joseph Kony - whose spokes person was erroneously interviewed by Al Jazeera right after that tragic event - would best have their greaviences resolved at AU level - linking LRA to Al Shabaab was morally wrong***
Perspective of an outraged and concerned Ugandan
Sam Mwaka-karama
At the dawn of colonialism, a hundred years ago, the Imperial Company of East Africa - then as forerunner of colonialism in East Africa, imported labor forces from India.
Native Africans at that early time were considered un-primed human resource for the purpose of building the Railway line from Kenya to Uganda. As primed laborers Coastal peoples of Kenya, were however usably to the Imperial Company - having been primed so by the Portuguese builders of Fort Jesus in Mombasa centuries earlier.
When the ‘Lunatic Express’ line (after braving the roaring Lions of Tsavo) finally crossed to Uganda, the labor forces that manned the enormous job were Indians, Digos, Swahilli of the Kenya Coast tribal stock, and the Luos of Kenya - and attached to them were a sprinkling of Somalis.
It is believed that largely the Somalis might have been the Cooks that prepared the meals… though I personally have not read that part in any history of the building of the East African Railway.
However the nature of activities Somalis were engaged in - long after that foundation era - and perhaps three decades before Independence - generally indicates a background role in food preparations.
Colonial authorities naturally rewarded the Indians who were officially conscripted from the old country - by installing them in every town “Bomas” founded in all parts of Uganda… as developers of the Bazaar. Certainly Indians were constitutional (or rather gazetted) right up till Independence. And thus were entitled to that reward.
However, Somalis might have not been in the same status as Indians… even then they enjoyed a very privileged freedom way-up above indigenous tribes of Uganda.
Indigenous tribesmen join the labor camps…
Colonial Authorities first conscripted Africans into the labor camps according to their evident habitat and especially shelter; those African tribes with skills to construct good basically structured dwellings were pulled in big numbers to labor in various towns… of cause after first building the labor camps (whose typical basic design replicated that original tribal huts as built then - like that by the Acholi - which triggered the manufacture of the tin Uniports - years later) wherever the railway line progressed to, till Jinja, at the source and initially east of the Nile.
And then the spread of the litany of towns began, and progressively the Indians became the supervisors as more and more the natives were gaining work skills: eventually most of the towns had quarters for the workers; Indians took much of the Bazaar lands, and began building, while the more administrative Goans had quarters to themselves, mostly away from the bazaar.
And the natives working in the towns built their own dwelling so that; Acholi quarters, Teso (bar) quarters, Lugbara quarters etcetera… sprang-up everywhere - wherever towns were founded.
In 1911 the Acholi people of Lamogi rebel-suddenly against colonialism - now this puts the Acholi people generally at question - Lamogi people were put-down by the Kenyans and Nubians under the colonial command.
And for Ten years till 1920 Lamogi people were displaced and encamped… however the churches needed labor around about the time - and that was a relief for the encamped Lamogi people participating in the works.
St Joseph Cathedral in Gulu Northern Uganda was thus built. The church also began developing a litany of schools in all the founded towns. What was to insure the future status of the indigenous.
By the 1930s much of the towns of Uganda were founded - Indians were high class and operated the bazaar activities. Somalis operated the butcheries, tearooms and eating kiosks that decades later were eating houses and hotels - and the markets that where mostly started around the butcheries by the Nubians and Swahilis and Luos of Kenya who had settled. (in Moroto, Karamoja the last town to be founded in Uganda - Camp Swahilli survives to this day).
What guaranteed status of the tribes was fact that the colonial authority worked with the tribal Chiefs. And that was where the lands people had their land rights guaranteed. I believe that the British with their United Kingdom and the centuries of development alluded to that hard earned unity of the Kingdoms, believed in those basic chiefdoms they found in existence among the Ugandan tribes.
Hitler’s War - uplifted status of the indigenous...
The Second World War catapulted status of the indigenous way-up to intimidating levels to the Indians and Somalis living in the various towns of Uganda - the war heroes brought with them a new confidence.
Between 1945 and 1950, things had changed dramatically in advantage of the local people. Their children going to class with the Indians with zest - confidence began building as character and eventually personas appeared to even equal the Indians who were actually very bright.
Of cause back in their own countries - the Indians and even Somalis had participated in the war - perhaps from both sides! Especially for Somalia which was divided-up between three European countries, what was a terrible confusion for the Somali people - a situation that was to polarize itself with fall of Hitler - and Mussolini, Italians lost their hold in the horn of Africa… that post war era in the horn of Africa ushered-in the complication - Islamism.
Somali developments in Uganda…
During all those years of volatility in the horn of Africa, many Somalis shifted and trickled into East Africa - and enjoying free access to anything in Uganda, most of those seeking fortunes away from Somalia joined their fellows in the country - Diaspora Somali had began!
As Ugandans eased into the administration mostly supervised by Goans and some Indians who opted to join government of the protectorate, the mentality was that of near brotherhood despite the skin color differences and racial roots…
This acceptability was the mis-guidedness Ugandans grew-up with; that the country belonged to all of us, we the natives and the Indians and Somalis were all natural to Uganda.
Between 1950 and 1960 several immigrant Somalis trickled in always naturally crossing the borders between Uganda and Kenya freely… indeed Germany that had colonized Tanganyika lost the country to Britain - that again opened the path for Somalis to also enter into Then Tanganyika equally freely - well, Somalis are coastal people and have had historical migratory movements along the Indian Ocean Coastal lines for centuries - that is undeniable. The Somalis therefore became domicile to the three East African countries.
Now Somalis are however a very difficult self centered people… in all the one hundred years since dawn of colonialism, they could not melt-away into marriages and dissolve into the various tribes of East Africa.
They instead jealously guarded their creed, they maintained their culture and language with uncommon avarice - they held to their natural inclination towards violence and brow-beat attitude.
Even after independence (as foreigners) Somalis were the only outright foreign people who carried large knives openly - like the native Karamojong carried spears and rungu clubbing-bats or, the Ankole carried long sticks and spears of the herdsman or, like the Acholi of the time carried spears and Lokilee small axes… one might say that Somalis naturalized in Uganda more psychologically that officially.
General Iddi Amin’s friendship with General Siad Barre in the 1970s capped Somali/Uganda relationship. That time the Diaspora Somalis gained tremendous advantage with enormous wealth that they constantly sent abroad.
The small developments they had in Kishenyi in Kampala, which was likened to Eisliegh in Nairobi - had become serious investments in trucking and bush services even small and medium scale industries that were money minting.
And being a constantly travelling people, their World Wide Spread largely UNHCR aided, became an enormous network - that today is worth fortunes - mostly all that is from that humble beginning in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
As Aideed and the War Lords wrecked that old country, the Diaspora Somalis developed and supported the various struggles - till things culminated into “Black Hawk Down”.
Al Shabaab and Uganda…
What every Ugandan can’t keep quiet about is the wanton act of Al Shabaab bombing a very tender soft target, like they did to the Soccer fans.
To all and sundry it is known World Wide that Sports is the symbol of peace… however, it is also natural that not everybody can be involved in sports, which is why sports is largely an entertainment industry.
We cannot all participate in competitive sports - the Chinese once had programmes of nationwide martial arts - but today it is highly unlikely that all Chinese are martial arts experts… Al Shabaab has killed traditional relationship that existed between Somalians and Ugandans since colonial times. The African Union offers the best forums for conflict resolve between Africans and not just African Governments, even rebel organizations like that of the LRA of Joseph Kony - whose spokes person was erroneously interviewed by Al Jazeera right after that tragic event - would best have their greaviences resolved at AU level - linking LRA to Al Shabaab was morally wrong***
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Paid Document Content Sites - biased
Paid Document Content Sites - Biased
Sam Mwaka-karama
The World Wide Net and World Wide web have very popular sites that pay users on the basis of uploaded documents on the basis of contents. However all these sites post out notices on their terms and conditions, that restrict their said Paypal payment to those whose documents merit the payments - only if the users live in the United States of America.
I daubt that America could want everybody to trans-locate to the USA... so that the many,many net and web activities that only honour people who live in America might have all of us prospective users and participants, to leave our continent ant fly away to America, to do some work online and get paid.
Paid Content sites like Associated Contents, Scribd, and many others do restrict their payments conditions, of content values, to Americans and generally people who live in the USA.
This I think is very much biased against us Africans. Even areas of document Content values are strickened to Americanized concepts of applicability; Literature is suddenly valueless and not applicable on paid content. American concepts of do-it-yourself technical works have the lead and nothing else and, without anaysis or overviews in certain aspects of obviously non consumerbles from Africa, then we might as well leave the net and web money making for America.
Why then must Africa pay so much on clicks; internet cafes, online office usage, on-net time, and what ever we Africans must pay to access the net - and if we won't ever get paid as participants online; participating on certain sites - then why introduce your valuable services to Africa and at the sametime cut us off very cleverly? You might as well just cut Africa off from your click,click,click,click billions - the money Africa spends click - clicking can use elsewhere.$$$
Sam Mwaka-karama
The World Wide Net and World Wide web have very popular sites that pay users on the basis of uploaded documents on the basis of contents. However all these sites post out notices on their terms and conditions, that restrict their said Paypal payment to those whose documents merit the payments - only if the users live in the United States of America.
I daubt that America could want everybody to trans-locate to the USA... so that the many,many net and web activities that only honour people who live in America might have all of us prospective users and participants, to leave our continent ant fly away to America, to do some work online and get paid.
Paid Content sites like Associated Contents, Scribd, and many others do restrict their payments conditions, of content values, to Americans and generally people who live in the USA.
This I think is very much biased against us Africans. Even areas of document Content values are strickened to Americanized concepts of applicability; Literature is suddenly valueless and not applicable on paid content. American concepts of do-it-yourself technical works have the lead and nothing else and, without anaysis or overviews in certain aspects of obviously non consumerbles from Africa, then we might as well leave the net and web money making for America.
Why then must Africa pay so much on clicks; internet cafes, online office usage, on-net time, and what ever we Africans must pay to access the net - and if we won't ever get paid as participants online; participating on certain sites - then why introduce your valuable services to Africa and at the sametime cut us off very cleverly? You might as well just cut Africa off from your click,click,click,click billions - the money Africa spends click - clicking can use elsewhere.$$$
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Sexual Slavery, Sexual and Gender violence...
Sexual slavery, sexual and gender violence…
Sam Mwaka-karama
As I write - this week the World sympathize with modern victims while we all remind ourselves of past and historical even celebrated publicized victims of sexual slavery, sexual and gender violence… and all those women (Young and old) who have been derailed in life by obsessive, imposing and often even organized rape and other aspects of extremism in masculinity - these also should include media and advertisement orchestrated mind-sets that are detrimental to or spur violence in-family.
Talking about sexual and gender violence, without incorporating ‘sexual slavery’ is like diagnosing and treating symptoms - while you don’t want to recognize presence of its root-causes. And you don’t want to recognize these root-causes because it is tied-up to ancient abduction and slavery of Africans whose descendants are now the African-Americans; you are ashamed of that because the American former slave masters… are now the major donor country and, as a dire-needy African, you wouldn’t want to get into their black-books, you don’t want to be seen or heard to root sexual slavery and violence with them. You are therefore playing safe – by not wanting to blame the donors!
But then it is all true; sexual and gender violence as known to modern day civilized world started with sexual slavery: on board ‘the great white ships’ of the trans Atlantic slave trade; the good looking slave women were isolated and raped. Similarly, on board the ‘Trade Wind Arab Dhows’ of the Indian Ocean slave trade; the nude body of the young African woman was irresistible, she was isolated and raped.
African traditional ‘sexual and gender violence’ started first as ‘co-wife wrangles’ that attracted and molded male dominance in the African household; first as reprisal the man who had co-wives that fought each-other, also as a repercussion beat one or both of them. Household sexual and gender violence spread-out to eventually gain in house notoriety. And as Africans began brewing crude-base drinks, the men even became more violent both sexually and physically. These violent trends developed becoming even more and more vicious by the generations.
There are also certain clan-tribe characteristics in Africa that have natural tendency towards violence when involved in sexual relationships - these truly and really exist even to these days, women who would rather be forcefully accessed by the man… they would rather be semi-raped to even enjoy the act… however the modern African woman has come a long way towards submissiveness (older generation African women were actually not as submissive as modern studies might indicate - the man didn’t find access easily and all the time - to them sex was for reproductive purposes - and not for consumerism), however the more modern society woman with education and exposure, awareness and being media savvy, being movie and TV buffs, and avid readers of good books; these category of women have developed romantic comely and more friendly tendencies. Many such African women have even become extroverts; she might propose directly to the man she is attracted to.
By percentage, those women who are stimulated by an element of forcefulness from the man are becoming less and less… while the liberal and more affirmative society women are growing more and more. In other words, a certain type of African woman is disappearing, while the emerging new society woman types (educated or not) are increasing.
Sexual Slavery - might not exist per-say in Africa - but there are certain obscure ‘convenience’ marriages that might eventually evolve and amount to sexual slavery… especially when the girl’s origin was endowed in dire poverty. When the girl was perhaps an orphan. When the girl had separated and often disagreeable parents. When the girl didn’t have proper education and lacked job-security. When the girl lived and grew-up in insecurity away from both parents or with even a more insecure mother. When the girl married a white-man, she automatically was a sexual slave - subjected to certain type of sexuality that wasn’t entirely African, while it might be considered normal by European or American standards, her hold in such marriages can only have connotations of ‘convenience’ which carry with it the slavery-to-wealth and comfort thing.
It is here that serious ‘African Cultural and Sociology’ thinking is needed. To gather-together the thinking around how the young African woman who somehow finds herself abroad and married to a white man - might be salvaged.
The slavery MUST be stopped: Respect of the girl’s culture and roots. Recognition of her parents (cripples, lepers or deranged lunatics they may be, but they parented that young woman). That is where African Union AU legislature has to be formulated, to link with relevant overseas laws, and place control over white men taking advantage of young vulnerable African women - where a parent might be able to contract a local lawyer and even by such small remote action, be able to place caveat over such marriages and bring to bear even claims for legal redress or reparations where necessary.
If high society African-American black people who are PhDs, are agitating for ‘reparations’ over 1500/1600 Trans-Atlantic slave trade - then why mustn’t an African parent whose daughter suffers and dies of ‘HIV/Aids’ or ‘dog rabies’ in Europe - not be able to seek reparations - since the girl might have died in sexual slavery, which is a modern kind of slavery? - “Sexual slavery and sexual and gender violence” - are one and the same. In marriage or outside marriage… as long as there exist ‘educational and wealth’ inequality the relationship becomes that of ‘convenience’ - a fertile ground for sexual violence and sexual slavery.
Between the western world and Africa, there is need for certain new ‘legal frameworks’ and ‘legal practice’ collaborative ‘access-ways’ under Globalization’s new Laws or Conventions to help address this increasingly occurring situation. To help address the many-many Africa’s gender parity questions, there has got to be legal framework of modern International laws that guarantee respect of the African woman wherever they might be. And such laws must be linkable (to and fro) between African Law Firms and Western Legal and Security Systems - whenever need arises to culprit sexual slave masters, even years after their African spouses living abroad might have died under hushed-up circumstances. $$$
Sam Mwaka-karama
As I write - this week the World sympathize with modern victims while we all remind ourselves of past and historical even celebrated publicized victims of sexual slavery, sexual and gender violence… and all those women (Young and old) who have been derailed in life by obsessive, imposing and often even organized rape and other aspects of extremism in masculinity - these also should include media and advertisement orchestrated mind-sets that are detrimental to or spur violence in-family.
Talking about sexual and gender violence, without incorporating ‘sexual slavery’ is like diagnosing and treating symptoms - while you don’t want to recognize presence of its root-causes. And you don’t want to recognize these root-causes because it is tied-up to ancient abduction and slavery of Africans whose descendants are now the African-Americans; you are ashamed of that because the American former slave masters… are now the major donor country and, as a dire-needy African, you wouldn’t want to get into their black-books, you don’t want to be seen or heard to root sexual slavery and violence with them. You are therefore playing safe – by not wanting to blame the donors!
But then it is all true; sexual and gender violence as known to modern day civilized world started with sexual slavery: on board ‘the great white ships’ of the trans Atlantic slave trade; the good looking slave women were isolated and raped. Similarly, on board the ‘Trade Wind Arab Dhows’ of the Indian Ocean slave trade; the nude body of the young African woman was irresistible, she was isolated and raped.
African traditional ‘sexual and gender violence’ started first as ‘co-wife wrangles’ that attracted and molded male dominance in the African household; first as reprisal the man who had co-wives that fought each-other, also as a repercussion beat one or both of them. Household sexual and gender violence spread-out to eventually gain in house notoriety. And as Africans began brewing crude-base drinks, the men even became more violent both sexually and physically. These violent trends developed becoming even more and more vicious by the generations.
There are also certain clan-tribe characteristics in Africa that have natural tendency towards violence when involved in sexual relationships - these truly and really exist even to these days, women who would rather be forcefully accessed by the man… they would rather be semi-raped to even enjoy the act… however the modern African woman has come a long way towards submissiveness (older generation African women were actually not as submissive as modern studies might indicate - the man didn’t find access easily and all the time - to them sex was for reproductive purposes - and not for consumerism), however the more modern society woman with education and exposure, awareness and being media savvy, being movie and TV buffs, and avid readers of good books; these category of women have developed romantic comely and more friendly tendencies. Many such African women have even become extroverts; she might propose directly to the man she is attracted to.
By percentage, those women who are stimulated by an element of forcefulness from the man are becoming less and less… while the liberal and more affirmative society women are growing more and more. In other words, a certain type of African woman is disappearing, while the emerging new society woman types (educated or not) are increasing.
Sexual Slavery - might not exist per-say in Africa - but there are certain obscure ‘convenience’ marriages that might eventually evolve and amount to sexual slavery… especially when the girl’s origin was endowed in dire poverty. When the girl was perhaps an orphan. When the girl had separated and often disagreeable parents. When the girl didn’t have proper education and lacked job-security. When the girl lived and grew-up in insecurity away from both parents or with even a more insecure mother. When the girl married a white-man, she automatically was a sexual slave - subjected to certain type of sexuality that wasn’t entirely African, while it might be considered normal by European or American standards, her hold in such marriages can only have connotations of ‘convenience’ which carry with it the slavery-to-wealth and comfort thing.
It is here that serious ‘African Cultural and Sociology’ thinking is needed. To gather-together the thinking around how the young African woman who somehow finds herself abroad and married to a white man - might be salvaged.
The slavery MUST be stopped: Respect of the girl’s culture and roots. Recognition of her parents (cripples, lepers or deranged lunatics they may be, but they parented that young woman). That is where African Union AU legislature has to be formulated, to link with relevant overseas laws, and place control over white men taking advantage of young vulnerable African women - where a parent might be able to contract a local lawyer and even by such small remote action, be able to place caveat over such marriages and bring to bear even claims for legal redress or reparations where necessary.
If high society African-American black people who are PhDs, are agitating for ‘reparations’ over 1500/1600 Trans-Atlantic slave trade - then why mustn’t an African parent whose daughter suffers and dies of ‘HIV/Aids’ or ‘dog rabies’ in Europe - not be able to seek reparations - since the girl might have died in sexual slavery, which is a modern kind of slavery? - “Sexual slavery and sexual and gender violence” - are one and the same. In marriage or outside marriage… as long as there exist ‘educational and wealth’ inequality the relationship becomes that of ‘convenience’ - a fertile ground for sexual violence and sexual slavery.
Between the western world and Africa, there is need for certain new ‘legal frameworks’ and ‘legal practice’ collaborative ‘access-ways’ under Globalization’s new Laws or Conventions to help address this increasingly occurring situation. To help address the many-many Africa’s gender parity questions, there has got to be legal framework of modern International laws that guarantee respect of the African woman wherever they might be. And such laws must be linkable (to and fro) between African Law Firms and Western Legal and Security Systems - whenever need arises to culprit sexual slave masters, even years after their African spouses living abroad might have died under hushed-up circumstances. $$$
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Understanding my 'Poetic Verses...'
Understanding my ‘Poetic Verses…'
My Tribe, Acholi is in North Uganda. We are the inheritors of the original ‘Luo’culture – other Luo clan-tribes proceed from us and through us to form the clusters that – spread over Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and cross with other Bantu clusters – to form other tribes of Southern Africa.
Luo is best known for its ancient migrations that started from slavery fields of Aswan in Egypt – a process that took five centuries of recorded history, and perhaps even more centuries before 1400AD.
Now due to this vast migratory movement (mostly back and forth) and then doubling-back, when recurrent slave snatching always recurred to pull the stock backwards – leaving the very old to actually die away (as too old and undesirable to slavery) – and always those re-migrating back whenever Egypt was in turmoil… and Egypt had a fair share of troubles over all those centuries.
Now to understand my poetic verses, that is what you need as background – and to cap-it, my tribe has produced poets like writers Prof. Okot’p Bitek (rip), Prof. Okello Oculi, Prof. JB Ocitti. And many other writers who now all live in the Diasporas; those are the highly educated, but then, there is tremendous under-developed, untapped raw-talent in my tribe Acholi, the producer of elusive rebel Joseph Kony.
In my poetic verses… which I am developing into a small booklet – I depict a small litany of Acholi old people’s sayings of the wise…
And narrate it in a background setting relevant to its formative characteristics – and translate that into English, with certain Acholi-lwo words that are untranslatable written in their original form.
In the first ‘stanza’
The ancient old had warned the younger generation of the ‘rumble in the belly of the world’ – this means that, ancient people had seen, from long ago that this world we lived in would experience turmoil’s, upheavals, commotions and un-peace.
‘Tomorrow, tomorrow someday’ in Acholi-lwo language ‘diki, diki wang ca’ would mean that; in the recurrent tomorrows – it shall come-to-pass… and when it does happen, the root of the Pumpkin shall dry-up.
In the second ‘stanza’
The bag of ‘Ataany’ depicts the taxidermists-farers’ bits and hold. What became popular during the great-tracking migrations and really very important was the survival-kit; made out of squirrels, wildcats, moles, giant wild edible-rats etcetera.
In the process of the wild-wild walking – mostly fueled by gathering and picking, up-rooting and wild fruits collecting. The migrations had worked and actually survived.
‘Ataany’ was some later-day restless-foot; some ‘strongie’ who still played the migrating walk-about long after the tracks had gone cold.
‘Ataany’ carried his bits and hold – and tracked back to Sudan or forward… actually within the Acholiland; visiting the past and interacting with the future.
As time went-by, the settling Acholi people had their first baby-boom – the younger generation were often fascinated by the wise-crack old man who seasonally passed-by often cooling his feet in their villages – telling lots of funny-funny stories and liked by all the clan parents, always talking of faraway furlong places and peoples; You want to cry – sort of tales of ancient nostalgia young mothers and fathers loved. To the young ones ‘Ataany’ eventually became a mystique-character with lots of stuffed-up heavy loads of his bits and hold. And when the young were hungry – they often joked that they were walking ‘Murodo’ famished - referring to themselves as being empty like ‘Ataany’s bags’ after a long cross-country walking.
While ‘Ataany’ always went away ‘grandma’ who was fond of him gnashed her teeth… in her isolated little homestead of a thatched hut and granary – there she someday dies.
In the third ‘stanza’
‘Man otyeno’ translate as ‘testicle of the evening’ and for the Acholi people, it only means trouble – at twilight, you keep indoors because that is when the evening’s testicle abandons itself, waylaying you, like the later-day landmine… at twilight watch your steps least you step on it.
In the forth ‘stanza’
The bulldog rules over his rubbish dumpy, where he jettisons his piss… that is where he eats. Like when the English says ‘trot,’ ‘trot’, ’trot – the Acholi people say ‘cwek,’ ‘cwek’, ‘cwek’ - and when the bull dog trot about unleashed – the bull dog might spread the rabies…
But don’t envy the bull-dog, for when you do… the rabies catch you – and when you can’t castrate the bulldog, and the moon went high you might - howl!
In the fifth ‘stanza’
At ‘twilight’ the mother hen pecks and drops not, for as darkness falls, chicken see nothing and that is when it was time to pack it in. And every last little peck carries through the night, till the cock crow at day break.
In the sixth ‘stanza’
As a new comer, the young rooster cock has a serious challenge to meet – the gigantic home rooster won’t ever allow the newcomer rooster chance to crow or mount a hen – till his spurs were tested in a decisive duel.
Mere flap-flapping of the new-comer’s wings brings the old rooster racing sidelong proud and self confident… spoiling for the flying side-kick.
‘Twon-gweno pe kok paAyaa’ – translates that ‘the cock don’t crow at Ayaa’s place’. To the Acholi paAyaa is when you have gone (to play) away.
In the Seventh ‘stanza’
‘Lawinos of today’ – are the younger generation Acholi women (from a character in Okot’p’Bitek’s “Song of Lawino”) – who may have put-down the ‘Abiinu’ some small round long-necked pot, ancient Acholi women pottered for keeping honey.
In this lamentation, these young women may have deviated from the traditional norm and abandoning the honey-pot…
To instead carry ripe yellow bananas – rwic-rwic, rwic-rwic, rwic-rwic, rwic-rwic –
Doing the walkabout banana marketing. What actually tally with some old innocent days particular old ‘boy and girl’ play – where the boy places his palms on the girl’s shoulders, and stoops his head down, walking behind her looking down her backside and heels, asking;
The boy - “Labolo ocek-oceki?”
The girl – Labolo pud numu
The boy – Labolo ocek-oceki?
The girl – Labolo numu-numu
He asks is the banana ripe and the girl says the banana was not yet ripe – which actually means – we haven’t arrived where we are going. And when eventually she says the banana was ripe – she meant that we have arrived where we are going... which was always home. In Acholiland of the innocent days, children played this banana game up till adolescence when mothers begin to rebuke the kids. Even then – innocence was innocence then. $$$
My Tribe, Acholi is in North Uganda. We are the inheritors of the original ‘Luo’culture – other Luo clan-tribes proceed from us and through us to form the clusters that – spread over Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and cross with other Bantu clusters – to form other tribes of Southern Africa.
Luo is best known for its ancient migrations that started from slavery fields of Aswan in Egypt – a process that took five centuries of recorded history, and perhaps even more centuries before 1400AD.
Now due to this vast migratory movement (mostly back and forth) and then doubling-back, when recurrent slave snatching always recurred to pull the stock backwards – leaving the very old to actually die away (as too old and undesirable to slavery) – and always those re-migrating back whenever Egypt was in turmoil… and Egypt had a fair share of troubles over all those centuries.
Now to understand my poetic verses, that is what you need as background – and to cap-it, my tribe has produced poets like writers Prof. Okot’p Bitek (rip), Prof. Okello Oculi, Prof. JB Ocitti. And many other writers who now all live in the Diasporas; those are the highly educated, but then, there is tremendous under-developed, untapped raw-talent in my tribe Acholi, the producer of elusive rebel Joseph Kony.
In my poetic verses… which I am developing into a small booklet – I depict a small litany of Acholi old people’s sayings of the wise…
And narrate it in a background setting relevant to its formative characteristics – and translate that into English, with certain Acholi-lwo words that are untranslatable written in their original form.
In the first ‘stanza’
The ancient old had warned the younger generation of the ‘rumble in the belly of the world’ – this means that, ancient people had seen, from long ago that this world we lived in would experience turmoil’s, upheavals, commotions and un-peace.
‘Tomorrow, tomorrow someday’ in Acholi-lwo language ‘diki, diki wang ca’ would mean that; in the recurrent tomorrows – it shall come-to-pass… and when it does happen, the root of the Pumpkin shall dry-up.
In the second ‘stanza’
The bag of ‘Ataany’ depicts the taxidermists-farers’ bits and hold. What became popular during the great-tracking migrations and really very important was the survival-kit; made out of squirrels, wildcats, moles, giant wild edible-rats etcetera.
In the process of the wild-wild walking – mostly fueled by gathering and picking, up-rooting and wild fruits collecting. The migrations had worked and actually survived.
‘Ataany’ was some later-day restless-foot; some ‘strongie’ who still played the migrating walk-about long after the tracks had gone cold.
‘Ataany’ carried his bits and hold – and tracked back to Sudan or forward… actually within the Acholiland; visiting the past and interacting with the future.
As time went-by, the settling Acholi people had their first baby-boom – the younger generation were often fascinated by the wise-crack old man who seasonally passed-by often cooling his feet in their villages – telling lots of funny-funny stories and liked by all the clan parents, always talking of faraway furlong places and peoples; You want to cry – sort of tales of ancient nostalgia young mothers and fathers loved. To the young ones ‘Ataany’ eventually became a mystique-character with lots of stuffed-up heavy loads of his bits and hold. And when the young were hungry – they often joked that they were walking ‘Murodo’ famished - referring to themselves as being empty like ‘Ataany’s bags’ after a long cross-country walking.
While ‘Ataany’ always went away ‘grandma’ who was fond of him gnashed her teeth… in her isolated little homestead of a thatched hut and granary – there she someday dies.
In the third ‘stanza’
‘Man otyeno’ translate as ‘testicle of the evening’ and for the Acholi people, it only means trouble – at twilight, you keep indoors because that is when the evening’s testicle abandons itself, waylaying you, like the later-day landmine… at twilight watch your steps least you step on it.
In the forth ‘stanza’
The bulldog rules over his rubbish dumpy, where he jettisons his piss… that is where he eats. Like when the English says ‘trot,’ ‘trot’, ’trot – the Acholi people say ‘cwek,’ ‘cwek’, ‘cwek’ - and when the bull dog trot about unleashed – the bull dog might spread the rabies…
But don’t envy the bull-dog, for when you do… the rabies catch you – and when you can’t castrate the bulldog, and the moon went high you might - howl!
In the fifth ‘stanza’
At ‘twilight’ the mother hen pecks and drops not, for as darkness falls, chicken see nothing and that is when it was time to pack it in. And every last little peck carries through the night, till the cock crow at day break.
In the sixth ‘stanza’
As a new comer, the young rooster cock has a serious challenge to meet – the gigantic home rooster won’t ever allow the newcomer rooster chance to crow or mount a hen – till his spurs were tested in a decisive duel.
Mere flap-flapping of the new-comer’s wings brings the old rooster racing sidelong proud and self confident… spoiling for the flying side-kick.
‘Twon-gweno pe kok paAyaa’ – translates that ‘the cock don’t crow at Ayaa’s place’. To the Acholi paAyaa is when you have gone (to play) away.
In the Seventh ‘stanza’
‘Lawinos of today’ – are the younger generation Acholi women (from a character in Okot’p’Bitek’s “Song of Lawino”) – who may have put-down the ‘Abiinu’ some small round long-necked pot, ancient Acholi women pottered for keeping honey.
In this lamentation, these young women may have deviated from the traditional norm and abandoning the honey-pot…
To instead carry ripe yellow bananas – rwic-rwic, rwic-rwic, rwic-rwic, rwic-rwic –
Doing the walkabout banana marketing. What actually tally with some old innocent days particular old ‘boy and girl’ play – where the boy places his palms on the girl’s shoulders, and stoops his head down, walking behind her looking down her backside and heels, asking;
The boy - “Labolo ocek-oceki?”
The girl – Labolo pud numu
The boy – Labolo ocek-oceki?
The girl – Labolo numu-numu
He asks is the banana ripe and the girl says the banana was not yet ripe – which actually means – we haven’t arrived where we are going. And when eventually she says the banana was ripe – she meant that we have arrived where we are going... which was always home. In Acholiland of the innocent days, children played this banana game up till adolescence when mothers begin to rebuke the kids. Even then – innocence was innocence then. $$$
Monday, April 26, 2010
Poetic Verses of Acholi...
Poetic Verses of Acholi
By Sam Mwaka-karama
Who so ever understood – that
Belly of world rumbled
So the ancient old said so…
Who so ever understood – that
Tomorrow, tomorrow someday
Tomorrow, tomorrow whole day
Under the pumpkin
Shall be dry.
Who so ever understood – that
Bag of ‘Ataany’ the carrier
Will nowadays walk ‘murodo’
Who so ever understood – that
‘Obwoko’ the emptiness lump in the throat!
Shall strangle grandma,
In the hot sun…
Alone, under the granary.
Who so ever understood – that
Testicle of the evening…
Will ‘ometto-kome’ abandon itself,
That you might step on it!
“Trouble O trouble, why waylay me?”
Who so ever understood –that
‘Cwek-cwek-cwek - trot-trot-trot of the bull-dog,
Spread the rabies
So that castrating the bull-dog,
Defeated the jealous…
Because the garbage dumpy,
Won’t ever belong to all peoples.
Who so ever understood - that
It was really the ‘twighlight’
So that the mother-hen
Pecks and swallows silently…
Gut-gut, gut-gut, gut-gut - was no more,
and the cold chicks will di-di, di-di, and di-di.
Who so ever understood – that
The young rooster cock…
Lost his spurs, that
He might never ever,
Crow at ‘Ayaa’s’…
That had ‘Ayaa’ tasted the saltiness
Of the cock, which was ‘yeng-yeng’…?
She might have eloped with the cock!
Who so ever understood – that
The ‘Lawinos’ of this today,
Will put down the ‘Abiinu’ - pot-of-honey,
So that they now carry…
‘Oderulabolo’ atop their heads.
No wonder the ancient Acholi said it…
Whenever the dead were buried,
They actually went ‘ka pito labolo’…
So that ‘okalo-cwan’gi’ have all gone;
Carrying ‘oderulabolo’ atop their heads.
Walking morning to sunset…
L’labolo ocek-oceki…?
Labolo pud numu
Labolo ocek-oceki…?
Labolo numu-numu
Labolo ocek-oceki…?
Labolo dong ocek…
… rwic-rwic, rwic-rwic, rwic-rwic…
Who so ever understood – that
‘Ceng-a-maki, labolo dok-woo’
Because ancient Acholi said it all…
That you might understand
$$$
By Sam Mwaka-karama
Who so ever understood – that
Belly of world rumbled
So the ancient old said so…
Who so ever understood – that
Tomorrow, tomorrow someday
Tomorrow, tomorrow whole day
Under the pumpkin
Shall be dry.
Who so ever understood – that
Bag of ‘Ataany’ the carrier
Will nowadays walk ‘murodo’
Who so ever understood – that
‘Obwoko’ the emptiness lump in the throat!
Shall strangle grandma,
In the hot sun…
Alone, under the granary.
Who so ever understood – that
Testicle of the evening…
Will ‘ometto-kome’ abandon itself,
That you might step on it!
“Trouble O trouble, why waylay me?”
Who so ever understood –that
‘Cwek-cwek-cwek - trot-trot-trot of the bull-dog,
Spread the rabies
So that castrating the bull-dog,
Defeated the jealous…
Because the garbage dumpy,
Won’t ever belong to all peoples.
Who so ever understood - that
It was really the ‘twighlight’
So that the mother-hen
Pecks and swallows silently…
Gut-gut, gut-gut, gut-gut - was no more,
and the cold chicks will di-di, di-di, and di-di.
Who so ever understood – that
The young rooster cock…
Lost his spurs, that
He might never ever,
Crow at ‘Ayaa’s’…
That had ‘Ayaa’ tasted the saltiness
Of the cock, which was ‘yeng-yeng’…?
She might have eloped with the cock!
Who so ever understood – that
The ‘Lawinos’ of this today,
Will put down the ‘Abiinu’ - pot-of-honey,
So that they now carry…
‘Oderulabolo’ atop their heads.
No wonder the ancient Acholi said it…
Whenever the dead were buried,
They actually went ‘ka pito labolo’…
So that ‘okalo-cwan’gi’ have all gone;
Carrying ‘oderulabolo’ atop their heads.
Walking morning to sunset…
L’labolo ocek-oceki…?
Labolo pud numu
Labolo ocek-oceki…?
Labolo numu-numu
Labolo ocek-oceki…?
Labolo dong ocek…
… rwic-rwic, rwic-rwic, rwic-rwic…
Who so ever understood – that
‘Ceng-a-maki, labolo dok-woo’
Because ancient Acholi said it all…
That you might understand
$$$
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